The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has given reasons why Ibom Air passenger Comfort Emmanson was remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre after a dispute with crew members, while Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, known as KWAM 1, did not face court charges despite being involved in a similar controversy.
According to NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mike Achimugu, the two situations were handled differently by the airlines involved.
He said Emmanson’s case went to court because Ibom Air staff were physically assaulted, prompting the airline to take immediate legal action.
In contrast, ValueJet, the airline involved in KWAM 1’s case, chose not to activate its right to prosecute, though the NCAA petitioned the authorities.
Emmanson’s altercation reportedly began when she refused repeated instructions to switch off her phone before take-off in Uyo, leading to a confrontation in which she slapped and kicked airline and airport staff, including a female hostess.
Security personnel eventually removed her from the plane. KWAM 1’s case, which occurred days earlier, allegedly caused a delay to ValueJet’s Abuja–Lagos flight on August 5.
Achimugu stated that the NCAA was not directly involved in Emmanson’s prosecution but confirmed that the authority issued an advisory for KWAM 1 to be placed on an indefinite no-fly list pending investigations.
He also clarified that airlines have the right to impose flight bans on disruptive passengers, noting that any risk to aircraft safety is unacceptable and flight delays can cause serious operational issues in a country with limited aircraft.
He said the Ibom Air incident will be handled fairly, adding that NCAA officials in Lagos will meet with police and security agencies as part of a fact-finding process.
He urged passengers to address grievances through proper channels rather than through aggressive behaviour, stressing that such events are an opportunity to identify and close gaps in aviation safety procedures.
